Jul 3, 2017
President Donald Trump Speech at
The Celebrate Freedom Rally
Paying tribute to those who have
proudly served our nation in uniform. On this my very
first Independence Day celebration as President, there is no
place I'd rather be than with you
President Trump recognized and
introduced Harry Miller who fought in the Battle of the
Bulge
And Captain Luis Avila
https://youtu.be/HaQc1i7eYMw
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thank you but thank you very much this
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is some group some group nice to win
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isn't it isn't it nice to wear Robert
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thank you very much for that incredible
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introduction and thank you to everyone
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from First Baptist Dallas
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Thank You pastor you and Amy have stood
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with us since the very very beginning
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and I will always stand with you I've
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told you that and I mean that I will
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always be with you I appreciate it thank
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you and I'm honored to join you at the
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first ever fourth of July freedom rally
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taking place here at the Kennedy Center
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as we pay tribute to those who have
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proudly served our nation in uniform
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thank you very much
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[Applause]
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tonight we have been inspired by music
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that fills our heart stirs ourselves and
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reminds us all of who we are one nation
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under God
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[Applause]
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to First Baptist music director Doran
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bug and to every musician and member of
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the choir who has performed with such
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incredible grace and skill and I heard
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them backstage I said let me out there
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that is the most beautiful music
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I just want to say that your music
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honors our heroes more eloquently than
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words could ever do and I just want to
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thank you that's real talent standing
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behind me thank you folks
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[Applause]
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and let me say to the hundreds of
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veterans with us tonight that for my
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very first Independence Day celebration
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as president there is no place I'd
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rather be than with you
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tell you that
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[Applause]
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and I promise you then you see it
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happening day by day just the other day
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we signed veterans accountability
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they've been trying to do it for 40
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years
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[Applause]
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for 40 years they've been trying you
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couldn't fire somebody if they were
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horrible doing a terrible job for the
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veterans robbing stealing hurting people
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you couldn't do anything it's called the
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Veterans Accountability Act and now you
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can say you're fired
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thank you and I promise you that we will
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always take care of our great veterans
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always right Louie you better believe it
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and Paula's up there
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Paula White has been so helpful you've
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thank you I love you too actually you've
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shed your blood you've poured your love
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and you've bared your soul in defense of
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our country our people and our great
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American flag your loyalty to our nation
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is measured not merely in words but in
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deeds you race through gunfire stare
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down enemy forces and ran past the gates
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of hell to fight and to win for America
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and you won for America and we're going
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to take care of it
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[Applause]
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the story of America's men and women in
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uniform is the story of freedom and
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overcoming oppression the strong
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protecting the weak and the good
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defeating evil there's a lot of evil out
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there I want to tell you there's a lot
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of evil I was left a mess the fact is
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but we're cleaning it up
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you watch cleaning it up cleaning it up
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we are awed by your service and your
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sacrifice and so to the veterans here
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tonight of which there are many will you
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please stand right now please stand
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thank you
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[Applause]
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on behalf of our very grateful nation
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thank you very much thank you very much
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we will always always remember what you
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did for us tonight we celebrate veterans
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we also reflect on everything we cherish
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as Americans we love our country we love
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our families we love our freedom and we
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love our God
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[Applause]
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since the signing of the Declaration of
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Independence 241 years ago America
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always affirmed that Liberty comes from
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our Creator our our rights are given to
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us by God and no earthly force can ever
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take those rights away
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[Applause]
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that is why my administration is
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transferring power out of Washington and
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returning that power back to where it
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belongs to the people to the people the
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fake media is trying to silence us but
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we will not let them because the people
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know the truth
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the fake media tried to stop us from
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going to the White House but I'm
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president and they're not
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[Applause]
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we won and they lost the fact is the
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press has destroyed themselves because
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they went too far
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instead of being subtle and smart they
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use the hatchet and the people saw it
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right from the beginning
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the dishonest media will never keep us
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from accomplishing our objectives on
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behalf of our great American people will
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never happen their agenda is not your
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agenda you've been saying it I will
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never stop fighting for you I am
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delivering on trade on the economy on
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the Supreme Court on the Second
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Amendment on our military for our
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veteran and on our borders
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where we are doing record record
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stoppage
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[Applause]
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thank you
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and we are supporting our incredible
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police and law enforcement
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[Applause]
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we will save American lives protect
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American sovereignty and we will ensure
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the Forgotten men and women of our
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country are never forgotten again for
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too long
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politicians have tried all have they
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tried to centralize authority among the
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hands of a small few in our nation's
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capital I see them all the time
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bureaucrats think they can run over your
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lives overrule your values meddle in
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your faith and tell you how to live what
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to say and where to pray but we know
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that parents not bureaucrats know best
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how to raise their children and create a
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thriving Society
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[Applause]
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and we know that families and churches
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not government officials know best how
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to create a strong and loving community
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and above all else we know this in
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America we don't worship government we
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worship God
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[Applause]
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our religious liberty is enshrined in
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the very first amendment in the Bill of
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Rights the American founders invoked our
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Creator four times in the Declaration of
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Independence Benjamin Franklin reminded
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his colleagues at the Constitutional
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Convention to begin by bowing their
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heads in prayer I remind you that we're
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going to start saying Merry Christmas
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again
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hmm
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inscribed on our currency are the words
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In God We Trust but not only has God
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bestowed on us the gift of freedom he's
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also given us the gift of heroes willing
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to give their lives to defend that
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freedom you just stood in every struggle
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against evil throughout our history as
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America's service members have huddled
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around campfires and sought refuge in
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foxholes they've called on their Creator
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for support in world war two when
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General George Patton that was a real
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general we got some patents today too I
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found them Mad Dog matters
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[Applause]
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and he doesn't like doing a lot of
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talking but I want to tell you Isis the
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whole different ball game folks they're
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going fast but when Patton ran into a
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problem that he couldn't solve he knew
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what to do he prayed frustrated by range
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that were stalling the advance of his
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third army across Europe in early
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December 1944 horrible weather Patton
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asked an army chaplain to come up with a
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good prayer for the weather Patton then
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had a quarter of a million copies of
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that prayer printed and distributed to
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the soldiers of the Third Army just
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before the Battle of the Bulge that was
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a big one did very well there
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five hundred thousand American soldiers
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fought that pivotal battle of the Second
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World War one of those soldiers is here
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with us tonight his name is Harry F
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Miller where's Harry where's Harry Harry
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stand up Harry
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[Applause]
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like many of the heroes of his
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generation
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Harry wasn't exactly straightforward
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about his age when he enlisted in the
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Army Reserves shame on you how he was
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just 15 but he told them he was old
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enough to join then he immediately asked
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for a transfer to active duty six months
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after he had listed private Miller was
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on his way to Europe to fight for our
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country
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[Applause]
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a couple of months after that he was in
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the freezing cold how cold cold he said
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really cold and driving range of Belgium
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with the 740 of tank battalion attached
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to the 82nd airborne as the Battle of
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the Bulge began Harry got his orders to
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go find tanks at a weapon storage
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facility
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when he arrived he says he and his
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friends found nothing but tanks they
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were all over the place right nothing
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but tanks but they didn't let the tanks
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stop them out of what spare parts they
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could find and through sheer grit and
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resolve they somehow managed to repair
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three of those tanks and get them all
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set for action and ready to fight and
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before long those three tanks were nose
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to nose with the lead elements of a
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German SS Panzer Division and that was
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tough stuff in a short time those tanks
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had knocked out the first three tanks of
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the enemy and the entire German division
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retreated they left
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that's good Harry
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[Applause]
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that's good Harry
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[Applause]
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Herry fought through the battle and the
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rest of the war and he went on to serve
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our armed forces for 22 years retiring
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as a Senior Master Sergeant a lot of
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guts
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tomorrow Harry will be 89 tomorrow so on
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behalf of this very large group in this
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beautiful building senior master
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sergeant Miller happy birthday thank you
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for your lifetime of service and thank
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you for helping out thank you very much
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[Applause]
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every veteran with us tonight from every
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branch of the military Army Navy Marines
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Air Force and Coast Guard I want you to
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know that we will always keep our
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promises to those who have kept us free
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since my very first day in office we've
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taken one action after another to make
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sure that our veterans get the care they
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so richly deserve
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we've published wait times those wait
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times were bad weren't they but boy are
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they getting better and fast and we've
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published them at every VA facility
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delivered same day mental health
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services at every VA Medical Center
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nearly doubled
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[Applause]
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the number of veterans given approvals
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to see the doctor of their choice and as
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I said just signed brand-new legislation
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went through the house went through the
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Senate and I signed it so fast we didn't
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want to take any chances right Harry to
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ensure every VA worker is held
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accountable for the quality of care they
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provide to our veterans
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[Applause]
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tonight we are deeply honored to be
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joined by a number of wounded warriors
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from Walter Reed I was over there
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recently these are incredible people the
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enthusiasm and the spirit and some of
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them were hurt really badly
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they've got so much spirit and they love
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this country so much these American
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heroes risked everything so that you and
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I can live in freedom they gave all they
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had everything for their comrades their
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country and for victory they liked
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winning we like winning again don't we
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[Applause]
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you know the old days we used to win we
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sort of just keep fighting and fighting
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and fighting gonna win again folks
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we applaud their strength their courage
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and we really support that incredible
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wind that they have the will the will is
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so strong and that's what they want to
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do is they want to win and they want to
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win for you so thank you all very much
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for being here that was great
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[Applause]
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one such hero is Captain Luis Avila
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where is he
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Luis Luis
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[Applause]
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we love you Louise
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[Applause]
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the ways Wow
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[Applause]
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Louisa's here tonight along with his
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wife Claudia Thank You Claudia thank you
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darling
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thank you thank you Louise served in the
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Army for 16 years he held many different
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positions on five combat tours and he
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was always a leader and everybody always
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said I did some checking on you Louise
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that you did a great job no matter where
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you were no matter where you went on his
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fifth deployment Louise bravely led his
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company on a successful mission to
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recover vital intelligence during this
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critical mission his vehicle was struck
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by explosives Louise was gravely wounded
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and lost his leg he received a Purple
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Heart for service and sacrifice to Lewis
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and Claudia we will never forget the
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courageous sacrifice that you made for
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all of us in this room tonight and for
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everyone in our country thank you thank
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you
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[Applause]
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I want you all and all of our incredible
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wounded warriors to know you have an
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entire nation of more than 300 million
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people behind you and our nations
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getting strong again you notice getting
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strong again our hearts and our prayers
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are joined with yours
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your legacy like our gratitude will live
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forever and I want to thank you thank
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you very much and Claudia thank you very
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much thank you
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I also want to speak to all of the
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people see you thought I forgot in our
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faith community who are here with us
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tonight veterans and non-veterans alike
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you're never gonna be forgotten you'll
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never be forgotten my administration
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will always support and defend your
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religious liberty
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[Applause]
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we don't want to see God forced out of
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the public square driven out of our
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schools or pushed out of our civic life
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we want to see prayers before football
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games if they want to give prayers
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we want all children to have the
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opportunity to know the blessings of God
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we will not allow the government to
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censor sermons to restrict the free
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speech of our pastors and our preachers
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and the people that we most respect like
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Robert
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that is why just as I promised pastor
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Jeffress and other faith leaders I just
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signed an executive order following and
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this is something that makes me very
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happy and very proud following through
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on my campaign pledge to stop the
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Johnson amendment from interfering with
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your First Amendment rights
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as long as I am president no one is
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going to stop you from practicing your
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faith or from preaching what is in your
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heart we want to hear him one of the
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most grave and dire threats to religious
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freedom in the world today is the threat
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of terrorism and specifically it just
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seems it's called radical Islamic
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terrorism and we cannot allow this
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terrorism and extremism to spread in our
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country or to find sanctuary on our
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shores or in our cities
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we want to make sure that anyone who
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seeks to join our country shares our
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values and has the capacity to love our
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people
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[Applause]
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thank you
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together we will protect our families
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our nations and our borders and yes by
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the way for those that are curious we
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will build the wall okay because we
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understand that a country is more than
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just its geography a nation is the sum
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of its citizens their hopes their dreams
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their aspirations America is a land rich
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with history traditions and values and
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as we have seen tonight what a group
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this is tonight America is also a land
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rich with heroes
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[Applause]
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and though we have many stories we all
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share one home and one glorious destiny
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a destiny that's getting better and
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better every single day
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and whether we are black or brown or
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white and you've heard me say this
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before we all bleed the same red blood
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we all salute the same great American
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flag and we are all made by the same
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Almighty God
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[Applause]
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we face many challenges there are many
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hills and mountains to climb but with
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the strength and courage of the Patriots
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assembled in this room tonight we will
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scare I mean and you say it and you see
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it all the time and we're doing it all
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the time because we're scaling those
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summits and we will get the job done we
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will all prove worthy of this very
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important moment in history and we will
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prove worthy of the sacrifice that our
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brave veterans have made as long as we
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have pride in our beliefs courage in our
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convictions and faith in our God we will
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not fail
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[Applause]
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as long as our country remains true to
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its values loyal to its heroes and
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devoted to its creator then our best
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days are yet to come because we will
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make America great again
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[Applause]
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thank you
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- my friend pastor Jeffers and dePaula
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and to Louie into Harry and de lewis and
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everybody in this room and everybody in
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this country thank you for your great
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support I appreciate it
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I will not let you down - all of our
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incredible veterans
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- the people in the military and -
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evangelical Christians who came out in
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record record record numbers thank you
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have a wonderful Independence Day god
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bless you god bless our nation's
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veterans
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god bless the United States of America
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thank you very much
33-44
you
Army Veteran
Harry Miller shares his story from Battle of the Bulge
https://youtu.be/tDLcEomh474
On December 16, 1944, the Germans launched what is considered
their last major offensive of World War II. Just shortly after the
Allied force’s successfully invaded Normandy, France, the surprise
attack from Hitler’s forces caught them off guard. The battle
lasted until January 25, 1945. The United States suffered 19,000
fatalities and more than 89,000 casualties.
In commemoration of the 72nd anniversary of this historic battle
of courage and fortitude, we invite you to meet Army Veteran, Harry
Miller.
Harry served in the Army from 1944 – 1953 during World War
II. He first served as a member of a tank crew, then
transitioned to a messenger center clerk. He fought in the
Battle of the Bulge.
During the battle, the 1st Army Headquarters instructed the tank
crews to go down to an ordnance depot and take whatever they needed
for the tanks. “We had to take good parts off of one tank and put
it on another. We finally got three tanks and a tank destroyer that
would operate and run, and had a gun,” he said in an interview with
VA. They took the three working tanks and sent them to their C
Company. Those three tanks ended up taking out three German tanks,
which ended up being members of the 1st SS
Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler being,
Hitler’s old bodyguards.
After World War II, Harry went on to serve in Korea and Vietnam
and served enlistments in both the Army and the Air Force.
Listen to the audio below for Harry’s full account of his
service before, during, and shortly after the Battle of Bulge.
nscript
English
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HARRY F. MILLER- Your life is dependent on everybody that's
around you.
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I mean, I know of cases where
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a man would be talking to another man,
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a round would come in and hit the one guy,
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and the other guy not get a scratch,
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and you depend on the guy next to you,
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you depend on the people in back of you, and
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you depend on everybody.
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Everything was going fine until the 16th of
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December, 1944 and the Germans broke
0-32
through, and at first nobody was too
0-35
concerned about it except for the fact
0-37
that we had only green divisions in the
0-39
Ardennes at that time. And so, they kept
0-44
pressing further and further. Well,
0-45
finally the first Army headquarters told
0-47
us to go down to this ordinance depot
0-51
and take anything we want. The only thing
0-54
that was there was old shot up tanks
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and one with holes in them and worn-out
0-59
engines messed up. And we had to take
1-03
good parts of one tank and put it on another.
1-05
We finally got three tanks and a
1-07
tank destroyer that would operate, and
1-11
would run, and had a gun and it would fire.
1-14
So, we got those and they
1-17
gave them to our C-Company and they told them
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to go down to the railroad station at
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Stoumont, Belgium. To approach this train
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station -- it sat here and there was a row
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that came around a curve and right
1-31
down to the train station.
1-33
Well, our C-Company met them at this
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curve, and the first American tank saw the
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first German tank, and they fired at him
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and the round -- 'course the guns and had not been
1-44
checked to see how accurate they were --
1-46
but they fired and the round bounced, and
1-49
went into the German tank and knocked it out.
1-54
It was just ... just a lucky shot... knocked out the
1-57
first tank. Well, he reloaded -- the American
2-00
tank reloaded, and round got stuck so he
2-03
motioned for the next tank to come
2-04
around. When he came around the curve he
2-08
caught the second tank, and he fired on it,
2-10
and knocked it out.
2-11
Same thing happened on the next round.
2-14
The third tank was a tank destroyer which
2-16
has a 90 millimeter gun on rather than
2-18
75 or 76, so he hit this German tank and
2-22
knocked it out. Well, this was the First SS
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Panzer Division, which was Hitler's old bodyguard.
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And they were a tough bunch of so-and-sos.
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And they were treated that way
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for the rest of the war, by the way. By us.
